Ventral locking device

ABSTRACT

A self-locking device for a mountaineer or a spelaeologist climbing up a rope is provided herein. The device includes a main body with a sliding seat for the rope. The device also includes a cam member associated with said body and able to tilt around an axis X from an open position to a position holding said rope. Further, the device includes a means for containing said rope inside said seat, in that said containment means comprise one or more pulleys associated with said body, which define to the top at least partially said sliding seat of the rope.

It is the object of the present invention a self-locking device for a mountaineer or a spelaeologist climbing up a rope.

Actually, such devices were born for speleology, while being effectively used also in mountaineering activities. Devices for climbing up a rope are already known and generally comprise a structure or main body comprising a housing capable of at least partially receiving a rope, so as to allow the sliding thereof, and a lever member that, by acting on the rope itself, holds it thereby locking the downward descent.

In particular, the movement during the climbing progression up a rope provides for the alternation of pushing and suspension movements (the so-called “frog” movement).

In the first movement, the user typically lifts a graspable locking device of the handle type by pushing it upwardly while simultaneously bringing his/her knees to the chest. Subsequently, he/she lift on the bracket connected with the handle, and he/she pushes him/herself upwardly, thereby bringing the ventral locking device to a higher position. This is made possible by the fact that the cam member of the device allows sliding along the rope.

Subsequently, the user hangs to the ventral locking device, thus being able to lift the handle again in order to lift again on the bracket and to continue in this manner their progression.

However, an important limitation of the known devices is due to the presence of corners and edges in contact with the rope, as illustrated, for example, in FIG. 1A. In this configuration, the continuous sliding of the rope slowly wears the edge itself, causing a progressive thinning thereof. In particular, the wear is higher in the upper part (upstream, where the rope enters) due to the angle formed between the ventral locking device and the handle; if the auxiliary feet locking device is also employed, in addition to these, the angle between the latter and the ventral locking device is still more pronounced, as the friction will be also in the lower portion (downstream) of the device. Such a phenomenon, in particular, can be quicker due to the mud, dusts, and dirt that build-up on the rope and/or the device, which circumstances naturally occur in the mountain, and especially inside caves.

In practice, due to the repeated use, the edge gets thinner and thinner, until it almost becomes a sharp blade. These are certainly dangerous conditions, since the rope sheath is torn and also the interior part thereof can be dangerously and progressively damaged. Furthermore, in the case of a fall (but also only with a disadvantageous angulation), even a clean cut of the rope could occur.

A dangerous situation when using the ventral locking device is represented by the oblique climbing of rope lengths, for example during pendulum movements or in particularly stretched intermediate anchorings (see FIG. 1C).

Such a situation gives rise to contingent risks, since it is possible that, during climbing, the rope tension confers an abnormal inclination to the device, so that the latter may escape from its seat and disengage from the climbing device.

The above-mentioned problems are at least partially solved by a device as defined in the appended main claim and, in its particular aspects, in the dependent claims, the definitions of which are an integral part of the present description.

In order to better understand the invention and to appreciate the advantages thereof, an embodiment will be described herein below, with reference to the appended Figures, in which:

FIG. 1A shows the detail referred to the presence of edges in contact with the rope in the prior art devices, FIG. 1B shows the use of a ventral locking device, while FIG. 1C shows the challenging situation of a typical pendulum movement;

FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of the device of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the device of the invention;

FIGS. 4A and 4B show the device in the closed position and with the cam in the abutment position, respectively;

FIGS. 5A and 5B show the device with the fastening element in the open position and the device in the opening position, respectively;

FIG. 6 shows the device in the operative condition.

With reference to the Figures, a device according to the invention for climbing up a rope is generally indicated with 1.

In particular, such a device 1 comprises a main body 3 having an inner face 3 b which defines at least partially a sliding seat 4 for a rope 2.

More in detail, such a sliding seat 4 is at least defined at the bottom and/or laterally by the body 3 of the folded device.

A cam member 5 is further associated by a holding member 7 on the inner face 3 b of the body.

In particular, said cam member 5 is capable of rotating around an axis X, and it is able to tilt from an opening position (shown for example in FIG. 5B) to an operative rope holding position (shown for example in FIG. 4B). To this aim, the holding member 7 comprises a pin 7 a intended to insert in a loop 30, obtained at an end of the cam member 5, and in a corresponding hole 31 in the main body 3, so as to form a hinge.

According to a preferred aspect, elastic means 6 associated with the cam member 5 can be provided for the elastic return thereof from the opening position to the closure position according to the direction of the arrow in FIG. 3.

Such elastic means 6 can be represented for example by a torsion spring, as shown in FIG. 2.

In more detail, the cam member 5 has a shape comprising a substantially semi-circular portion with a convex profile 5 d, which can comprise a friction surface 33 of the cam member 5 with the rope 2.

In accordance with a preferred aspect of the invention, such a friction surface comprises auxiliary elements for holding the rope 10, represented for example by folds. Advantageously, according to the invention, sliding means of the rope are provided, performing the double function of co-adjuvating the containment of said rope 2 inside the seat 4, and of minimizing the friction during the sliding.

In one embodiment, said sliding means 13 comprise one or more pulleys 13 a, 13 b, which are rotatably associated with the main body 3 of the device by connection means 14 represented, for example, by pins.

In particular, such pulleys 13 a, 13 b, are arranged with the longitudinal axis Z lying on a plane parallel to the plane a of major extension of the body 3 of the device and which is perpendicular to the sliding direction of the rope 2 (see FIG. 6).

In the present description, reference is made to the embodiment in which multiple pulleys are provided, in particular two pulleys; however, the embodiment in which a single pulley or a number of pulleys of more than two is provided is intended as similarly possible.

In such a case, the pulleys will be arranged so that their longitudinal axes Z are parallel to one another.

As above mentioned, advantageously, said pulleys 13 a, 13 b promote the sliding of the rope in the seat 4, thus promoting the climbing operations of the mountaineer or the spelaeologist.

Furthermore, still more advantageously, they avoid that the rope may slide on potentially sharp profiles or edges.

According to an embodiment, said pulleys 13 a, 13 b have a concave (or saddle-shaped) profile partially receiving the rope section.

In one preferred aspect, such a profile is not symmetrical, but has a more pronounced flaring in the portion facing outwardly, i.e., opposite to the position of the cam member 5, as shown in FIG. 3. Hence, the rope 2 is even more held inside the sliding seat 4.

The sliding seat 4 therefore is delimited:

-   -   to the bottom and/or laterally, at least partially, by a portion         of the inner face 3 b of the device 3, which is folded upon         itself;     -   to the top, at least partially, by pulleys 13 a, 13 b (as         represented in FIG. 2);     -   when the device is in the holding position of the rope,         laterally, at least partially by the cam member 5.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, a mechanism allowing for the complete opening of the cam member 5 and the locking thereof in the opening position (shown in FIG. 5B) is provided.

In this manner, the insertion of the rope in the seat 4 of the device is made easier.

To this aim, the cam member 5 can be associated with a fastening element 17 capable of fastening the stopping means 9.

More particularly, said fastening element 17 comprises a fastening portion 17 a and a stop portion 18 substantially perpendicular to said fastening portion 17 a and intended to abut against the corner of the cam member 5.

Such a fastening portion 17 a is hinged, at an end, to the cam member 5 through a pin 16, while the opposite end terminates, instead, with a hooked portion 19 configured to be able to cooperate with or to be able to fasten the stopping means 9.

According to a preferred aspect, the fastening element is at least partially housed in a seat 11 obtained in the lower face 5 b of the cam member 5 (therefore, facing the inner face 3 b of the device body) and defined by a step profile 5 d′ against which said fastening element 17 abuts.

As shown in FIG. 5A, the fastening element 17 can rotate according to the arrow around an axis y passing through the pin 16, and it can take a closure position—in which the stop portion 18 abuts against the corner of the cam member 5—and an opening position opposing to the elastic means 20. To this aim, the elastic means 20 are housed in respective recesses that are present on the fastening element 17 and on the seat 11 of the cam member 5, respectively. Such elastic means 20 tend to keep the fastening element 17 in a non-operative position, as shown in FIG. 4A or 4B.

Therefore, in order to pass from the non-operative position to the operative position, it is necessary to tilt the fastening element 17 in the opposite direction with respect to that indicated by the arrow in FIG. 5A. This can be obtained, for example, by acting on the stop portion 18 directly with one's fingers, or by auxiliary opening members 34, for example represented by a little rope (not shown in the Figures) that can be constrained to a through hole 18 a.

Once the fastening element 17 has been so opened, the cam member 5 can be rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. 5A, and it can be locked by fastening the hooked portion 19 of the fastening element 17 to the stopping means 9.

In such an open configuration, the rope can be easily inserted into the seat 4.

In a particular embodiment, it can be provided that the stop portion 18 of the fastening element 17 is so shaped as to not abut against the member 9; therefore, in such a configuration, the opening rotation of the cam member 5 is allowed to the extent where the profile 5 d′ of the seat 11 abuts against the stopping means 9.

Advantageously, therefore, the stopping means 9 perform the double function of locking the complete opening of the cam member 5, by abutting against the corner 5 d′, or to keep the cam member 5 completely open by virtue of the constrain to the hooked portion 19.

Furthermore, in order to allow the use of the device of the invention 1, means for the connection with the user's harness can be provided.

Preferably, such means are provided at the ends of the device.

It shall be noticed that, for speleological activities, the harness typically comprises a lower part to which the two leg loops are connected, and an upper part represented by dorsal braces connecting anteriorly. Therefore, for the connection with the harness, the body 3 of the device comprise a through hole 12 a inside which a ferrule karabiner or maillon rapide 21 is inserted, which is in turn connected with to the harness (or to the lower part of a harness for speleology).

According to a preferred aspect, the device also comprises a through hole 12 b for the connection thereof with the harness upper (top) portion so as to stretch it and keep it parallel to the rope, thus allowing the sliding thereof.

Preferably, the holes are flared, so that, once the ventral locking device has been connected, it arranges as parallel and adherent to the user's body as possible.

As regards the use of the device, when the mountaineer or the spelaeologist begins to go up a rope, it is necessary that the cam member is open first to allow the insertion of the rope in its sliding seat.

As described before, this is easily obtained by virtue of the possibility to fasten the cam member 5 to the stopping means 9. Subsequently, the device is connected with the harness, for example by a karabiner (or a maillon rapide) passing through the hole.

From the description set forth above of the device for a mountaineer or a spelaeologist climbing according to the present invention, the advantages that have been made compared to the already known device shall be apparent.

First, the device can be used not only in the mountaineering or speleological field, but also for all those so-called “high-altitude” activities, such as, for example in the industrial field, for repair or maintenance operations.

Furthermore, by virtue of the presence of the members holding the rope in place, the escape of the rope from the device is made still more difficult, or even impossible, thus contributing to a greater safety of the progression activity.

Still more advantageously, the device of the invention avoids that the rope contacts and slides on metal profiles or edges that, by thinning due to wear, my cause the progressive tearing of the rope.

To the above-described embodiments of the device of the invention, those skilled in the art, in order to meet contingent, specific needs, will be able to make a number of adaptations, modifications, and replacements of elements with other functionally equivalent ones, without for this departing from the scope of the claims set forth below. 

1. A self-locking device for a mountaineer or spelaeologist climbing up a rope comprising: a main body comprising a sliding seat for said rope; a cam member associated with said body and able to tilt around an axis X from an open position to a position holding said rope; means for containing said rope inside said seat; characterized in that said containment means comprise one or more pulleys associated with said body, which define to the top at least partially said sliding seat of the rope.
 2. Self-locking device for a mountaineer or spelaeologist climbing up a rope according to claim 1, wherein said sliding seat for the rope is at least partially defined by a part of the body of the device folded upon itself
 3. Self-locking device for a mountaineer or spelaeologist climbing up a rope according to claim 2, wherein said seat is at least partially defined at the bottom and/or laterally by the inner face of the body of the device.
 4. Self-locking device for a mountaineer or spelaeologist climbing up a rope according to claim 1, wherein said cam member comprises a friction surface possibly comprising auxiliary elements for holding the rope.
 5. Self-locking device for a mountaineer or spelaeologist climbing up a rope according to claim 1, wherein said one or more pulleys are arranged so that their longitudinal axis Z lies on a plane parallel to the plane a of major extension of the body and perpendicular to the sliding direction of the rope.
 6. Self-locking device for a mountaineer or spelaeologist climbing up a rope according to claim 1, wherein said one or more pulleys have a concave profile that is substantially symmetrical or more concave in the opposite outer profile portion with respect to the position of the cam member.
 7. Self-locking device for a mountaineer or spelaeologist climbing up a rope according to claim 1, wherein said means for containing the rope comprise two pulleys or more pulleys, preferably two, having longitudinal axes Z that are parallel to one another.
 8. Self-locking device for a mountaineer or spelaeologist climbing up a rope according to claim 1, also comprising means for stopping the cam member from opening.
 9. Self-locking device for a mountaineer or spelaeologist climbing up a rope according to claim 1, wherein said cam member also comprises a fastening element capable of fastening to the means for stopping the cam member from opening to keep it open.
 10. Self-locking device for a mountaineer or spelaeologist climbing up a rope according to claim 1, wherein said fastening element is at least partially housed in a seat of said cam member.
 11. Self-locking device for a mountaineer or spelaeologist climbing up a rope according to claim 1, wherein said fastening element comprises a stop portion possibly associated with auxiliary means for opening the cam member.
 12. Self-locking device for a mountaineer or spelaeologist climbing up a rope according to claim 1, wherein said auxiliary means for opening the cam member comprise a through hole.
 13. Self-locking device for a mountaineer or a spelaeologist climbing up a rope according claim 9, wherein said fastening element also comprises a hooked portion capable of fastening to said means for stopping the cam member from opening.
 14. Self-locking device for a mountaineer or spelaeologist climbing up a rope according to claim 1, also comprising means for the connection of the device to the mountaineer or speleologist's harness.
 15. Self-locking device for a mountaineer or spelaeologist climbing up a rope according to claim 14, wherein said means allow the connection with the top portion and possibly also with the bottom portion of the harness. 